Giant chalk Santa appears in North Devon

A giant chalk Santa has appeared near Bideford on the coast.

The chalk drawing is part of Cadbury’s annual Secret Santa campaign, adding a festive touch to the countryside with its vibrant red, white, and purple design.

Measuring a striking 1,000 square metres, the Santa figure is shown with a finger to his lips in a playful “Shh” gesture; a nod to the campaign’s theme of secret gift-giving.

The Bideford Santa is the largest in a series of similar chalk artworks popping up across the UK, including other scenic spots like the fells of Cumbria. 

Each artwork is paired with a small QR code, which visitors can scan to uncover a “sweet secret.” 

Scanning the code links to Cadbury’s Secret Santa postal service, allowing people to anonymously send a free chocolate bar to someone special via posters positioned throughout the country.

Now in its seventh year, the Secret Santa initiative aims to bring a bit of holiday magic through anonymous gifting. 

A recent survey of 2,000 Christmas-celebrating adults, commissioned by Cadbury, found that 36 per cent plan to give gifts in secret this year, with nearly 70 per cent saying they enjoy either giving or receiving surprise gifts. 

Many respondents shared that imagining the recipient’s reaction brings as much joy as the gift itself, with 38 per cent saying the secrecy adds to the magic, and 42 per cent feeling a secret gift is more meaningful because it’s simply intended to bring happiness.

Nicole Dudley, brand manager for Cadbury, said this year’s campaign is “back, bigger, and more magical than ever.”

She said: “To celebrate and add some festive cheer, giant "Shh-ing" Secret Santas have been placed on hillsides – from the dramatic Devon coastline to the picturesque Cumbrian fells.”

For more details on participating, visit the Cadbury Secret Santa website: https://secretsanta.cadbury.co.uk